How to Build Props for a Haunted House

Make your own scary props for a haunted house.

Along with candy and ghoulish practical jokes, the best part of Halloween is constructing a haunted house in your basement or garage for your friends and neighbors to walk, or run, through. The only drawback to these homemade houses of horror is that they can be quite expensive to construct. The bulk of this expense generally comes from the props and other decorative pieces. Instead of spending a fortune on these decorations, make some props that will make your haunted house a truly frightening experience.

Things You'll Need

• 8x4 sheets of foam insulation
• Black permanent marker
• Jigsaw
• One gallon of primer
• Black tint for primer
• Paint stick
• Roller
• Latex balloons
• Helium tank
• Garbage bag
• Ribbon
• Small glow sticks

Instructions

Tombstones

1. Draw the shape of the tombstone onto a large piece of foam insulation. The shape could be a traditional curved gravestone or a more intricate cross.

2. Cut out the shape with a jigsaw. The blade used will depend on the thickness of the foam. Several gravestones of the exact same shape can be cut out and glued on top of one another to make a thicker gravestone, if desired.

3. Mix the primer for the tombstone. Add several drops of black tint, which can be purchased at most home improvement stores, to a gallon of primer. Stir the tint with a paint stick until it is completely mixed and has created the desired gray color. Primer is better to use than paint because it is thicker and will not soak into the foam as much.

4. Paint the entire tombstone with the tinted primer and a roller. Allow the primer to dry overnight.

5. Paint a second coat of the tinted primer onto the tombstone.

6. Using a black permanent marker, write an epitaph onto the tombstone.

7. Prop the tombstones against the wall to create a haunted cemetery.

Floating Lights

1. Blow up several 16-inch latex balloons with helium. Small helium tanks can be purchased at most Halloween craft stores.

2. Tie the balloons closed and keep them in a bag until the party.

3. Tie one end of a ribbon to a small glow stick. Make sure the glow stick is small or else the helium balloons will not float under the weight.

4. Tie the other end of the ribbon to the filled balloon. Place the balloons back into the large plastic bag.

5. Active the glow stick by snapping it in the middle and shaking the stick right before the party. Let the balloons go and touch the ceiling. Turn off the lights and allow the glow sticks to illuminate everything.

References

• Halloween Online Magazine: Tombstone Factory
• Halloween Online Magazine: Goblin Lights